This says it all, from a successful small business owner:  “The internet has taken a small family-owned candle business and allowed us to compete on a national level while contributing to the redevelopment of our downtown area in central Virginia.”�

A U.S. Small Business Administration study found that “the smallest firms with fewer than 10 employees benefit the most from being online”�.  The evidence: Online sales account for only 2.2% of all retail sales nationally, yet in the small Michigan town of Manitowoc alone…

Natural Ovens Bakery, a $29M company featured in the film Super Size Me for their healthy lunch programs, gets 20% of their revenue online.  20% of Cooks Corner’s walk-in customers place digital orders, and one-third of their revenue is over the internet, the same for Healthy Chocolate Treats.  The Fitness Store garners 75% of its revenue online.

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Image:  Bop, a women’s clothing store in Madison, WI where 90% of its sales are online.